


A Work In Progress

by DizzlyPuzzled



Category: NCIS, Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Past Friendship, Set after season 5
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 09:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11101467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DizzlyPuzzled/pseuds/DizzlyPuzzled
Summary: After losing Sam, Dean goes to his old boyfriend, Tony, instead of going to dump his crazy on Lisa. The last time Tony had seen him, he had ran in the middle tonight after getting a call from his brother. The last Tony had heard anything about Dean, he had died in an explosion.Now, Tony has to make a decision between two people he cares about, yet only one really knows who he is.





	A Work In Progress

Tony groaned as he got out of his car. He looked up and seen a car he hasn’t seen in a little over two years. The black metal gleamed under the streetlight. Tony knew it wasn’t him. He seen the report, but hope flared in his chest anyway. It had been so long and so much has happened. He walked up the door and checked it. It was unlocked. All the same signs he left when coming to meet Tony. Opening the door, he stepped in to the smell of hamburger cooking in his small kitchen and the back of someone similar.

“You’re supposed to be dead,” Tony spoke loud enough for the other to hear him, but no one outside could. He shut the door and locked it. He pulled his gun and aimed it just in case. There were times where he wasn’t sure if it was who he hoped or not. Sometimes Dean came in almost as a ghost and sometimes he seemed dangerous. Those were often after a bad hunt. Tony knew he wasn’t going to hurt him, but this long made him weary.

“Kinda wish I was,” Dean answered turning back towards him. There something in his eyes that has changed in the almost three years. Tony knew that look. The look people held when they had nothing left. He has hoped to never see it on the face of the man he had loved at one time. Dean’s shoulders were slumped and he looked completely exhausted like he hadn’t slept in a few days. It hurt Tony to see Dean this way, but it’s been so long. “It’s been a while, Agent DiNozzo.”

“Dean Winchester,” Tony gave a smile before aiming his weapon at Dean’s chest. “I should be arresting you.”

“You’ve said that before. But technically I’m dead so it doesn’t really matter unless I really screw something up, right? That was the deal after St Louis?” Dean smiled putting his hands up. It’s been a while and he knew that sometimes Tony would get pissed at him and could actually be one of the few who Dean would allow him to arrest him. He owed him that much after everything they’ve been though together. And after keeping him in the dark after Colorado. “Besides, I don’t think you’re actually going to. At least not yet.”

“Alright, but tell me what happened to the agent who declared you dead two hours before his own?” It was the only thing that made Tony uncomfortable. He needed to know what happened. He needed to know that Dean didn’t do anything to him. He needed to know that Hendrickson didn’t die in Dean’s escape attempt. Dean looked down and seemed like everything was crashing down on him.

“Me and Sam were being hunted by a demon,” Dean answered. Tony only knew about ghosts and werewolves, but believed that there was more than Dean told him. The only things that made them meet first. “She tracked us and Hendrickson ended up in the line of fire. He wasn’t supposed to die. It was my fault.” Tony slowly checked out the rest of his place for Sam.

“Where’s Sam?” he asked needing to know it was safe. Needing to know who all was here. Dean jumping back into his life was something he so didn’t need right now. There was enough chaos at the office. He had only met the brother once in a salt and burn, and Dean told him not to let him know that they were dating. He didn’t want to drag Tony into their crap any further than they already were. Tony promised not to, but could tell that Dean was trying to just keep everything together. He also wondered if his brother even knew that Dean was bi. If that could have been the problem between them and that’s why Dean didn’t want him to know he was dating Tony. Maybe being a cop was a problem cause Dean didn’t want Sam to know that either.

“He’s…he…” Dean seemed to cave into himself. Tony rushed to his side as the man collapsed. Dean was taking in harsh breaths. “He sacrificed himself to save the world. He…He jumped into hell.” Tony pulled Dean to his chest as the man cried. So much as happened and he can’t even get his mind wrapped around it. Dean was one of his closest friends. He knew how much Sam meant to Dean, but if Sam was dead and Dean was here. There was nothing good that was coming up. Dean is falling apart and he came to someone he hasn’t seen in a couple years.

“Why’d you come here?” Tony asked when Dean’s breathing slowed and he just leaned against counter with Dean wrapped in his arms.

“Sam made me promise to get out. Wanted me to go to Lisa’s, but she…I couldn’t do that to her,” Dean whispered. “So I came here instead.”

“Get out. Stop hunting?” Tony asked. That was one thing they did fight about when they were dating. Dean was always gone, and never had backup. Always in danger and no one was there to have his back right away. It was why Tony hated it when he came to him seriously hurt. “He made you promise to stop.” Tony’s thoughts were going a mile a minute. If Dean stopped, he could have him back. He would’ve done whatever he could to keep him before, but now, Dean was different in a way that made Tony uncomfortable. But the hope of having that again and being able to keep it

“I can’t save him. The cage…he stuck in there with Michael and Lucifer and I can’t do a damn thing about it,” Dean cried. There were shakes running though his body. Tony just let him knowing that right now, all Dean needed was someone to be with and support him. Hopefully nothing too major came up, but usually nothing went his way. Tony reached up and turned off the stove.

“In the morning I expect you to tell me what happened, but for now, let’s see if those burgers are done and go to bed. To sleep,” Tony whispered kissing the top of Dean’s head. “Then you’re going to tell me why you didn’t bother to tell me that you are alive.”

“I wasn’t for a while,” Dean answered as they both got up. There was so much Tony needed to know before Dean let him put him up. He couldn’t let the man believe he had been lied to for so long. It was a promise Dean refused to break. No matter how hard Tony would make it sometimes, or how hard he made it on himself. “I was dead for four months. Buried and rotting in the ground.” Tony stopped and looked at Dean not sure what to think. Dean promised to never lie to him when he first seen the werewolf. “Sam couldn’t stand trying to burn me. He didn’t want to believe I wouldn’t be able to be saved.” Dean stopped as his started shaking again. The knowledge that the torture he had gone though was nothing compared to what his brother might be going though now. “I went to hell for him.” Dean trailed a little as the pain raced across his body again. Quick flashes of another lifetime nearly took his breath away.

“Alright, this conversation needs to be saved for the morning when I don’t feel like crap and you can explain everything without seeming to just drop off into your own head,” Tony said as he flipped the burgers and turned the stove back on and started where Dean left off. “You know where everything is, so go get some sleep clothes on and I’ll finish this.” Dean nodded before heading towards the bathroom. Tony pulled out his cell phone and called Gibbs.

_"This better be important. DiNozzo.”_

“Dean is alive. He’s not okay at all, but he’s alive. I’m not sure what happened, but whatever it is. It’s really messed with him,” Tony said looking at where Dean disappeared. Gibbs knew, and he may not have liked what happened, but he respected Dean. “I don’t know what to do for him. Or what I should do at all.”

_“Did ya ask him, DiNozzo?”_

“Yeah, and the answer I got isn’t…is so not good. He’s not really in his right mind,” Tony said as he pulled everything together for the food. “I was hoping to get tomorrow off to deal with him if I could.”

 _“Keep me posted.”_ Gibbs hung up. Tony sighed glad his boss understood. Even if he never really showed it. At least he knew enough to know that whatever it was that was wrong with their friend, he would let Tony deal with it until he needed help. However, there was so much that Tony needed to let Dean in on, that he wasn’t sure he could handle it himself.

“I’m sorry for dropping in on you,” Dean whispered leaning against the door frame. “I’ll tell you what happened and then I’ll be out of your hair. I figured too much time has passed.”

“No, that’s not it,” Tony quickly shot. “When the reports came in that you had died…Kate had been killed. I lost my partner and I lost you at the same time. It hurt so much then. I had no way of saving either one of you. And it turns out that you weren’t actually dead. I really could have used someone then. I really could have used you then.”

“I’m sorry, but it wasn’t much longer that my time was up. I never told you. I sold my soul for Sam…I was in hell,” Dean whispered looking down as he let guilt eat at him. Always feeling that way lately. “ For never being enough. “I gave everything up for Sam, and now I’m here…and he’s not.” Tony had nothing to say to that. It was so much. Tony recognized that maybe Dean might be suffering from more than just Sam dying, especially if he was in hell. “Me dying in that explosion was better than you knowing that hellhounds tore me to pieces. I never wanted you to know what really happened. Even if it broke my promise to you,” Dean held back a little, but Tony knew he was bound to break soon.

“And now,” Tony asked as he handed Dean the burger. “Why tell me now?”

“You wanted the truth, and I promised to never lie to you,” Dean smiled softly. Tony could tell it hurt, but Dean was trying so very hard to keep it together. “I wanted to tell you, but then I thought I wouldn’t be coming back when I went to hell. I didn’t want you to think that I…I guess it didn’t matter when I came back. It was better you thinking I went down in a blaze of glory than being torn apart and dragged to hell.”

“How’d you come back?” Tony asked as they sat down. As long as Dean was willing to talk without flipping out or breaking down, then he would let Dean tell his story. However, he wasn’t sure he really wanted to know everything. Dean was broken, and that was not good. Dean had always been one to be sarcastic and overly confident. However now, he seemed to be depressed, and Tony didn’t know what to do. He never really has dealt with this Dean, but many things have changed. Including him.

“Angels are a bunch of dicks,” Dean chuckled. “My life sucks.” He took a couple bites from his burger. “They wanted me to let one possess me so he could fight Lucifer. And yes he is real and he is the reason my brother is dead.”

“So angels brought you back, so you could fight the devil?”

“And destroy half the planet in the process,” Dean added looking at Tony with sadness in his eyes. “If I had said yes, they would have nearly killed every human on earth.” Tony swallowed before sitting back and watching Dean carefully. “A lot has happened in the past year alone, and we just derailed the apocalypse, and no one even knows about it.”

“I do now,” Tony whispered reaching for Dean’s hand that was resting on the table and giving it a squeeze. “I’m not going to chase you away or let you run off. I will drug you first.” Dean smiled a little.

“I could use your help rewrapping some bandages,” Dean informed as he lifted his shirt over his head. White bandages with some red bleeding though. “Was trying to find some info, and kinda got over my head. Didn’t have Sam to back me up. He was already gone.”

“I was the closest place you could go,” Tony whispered as he got up and gently traced the bandages going around Dean’s chest and stomach. “Have you gone to the hospital yet?”

“I’m in DC, Tony. I was afraid I would come across a federal agent,” Dean smiled as he ran a hand across Tony’s neck and cheek. “Kinda would be weird if someone arrested me. I’m supposed to be dead. But you guys would be more likely to identify me than anywhere else.”

“Can I?” Tony asked a he gently pulled at the end of the bandage where a couple butterfly clips held it in place. Dean nodded as Tony started to undo the bandage. “Did they torture you?”

“I was in hell, Tony,” Dean whispered looking at him. “I was tortured for forty years.” Tony gasped and looked up at Dean with fear in his eyes. “It was only four months up here, but in hell…time doesn’t move the same.” Tony felt tears in his eyes knowing that the one person he loved the most had been so badly beaten that he had nothing left. Not even his own brother.

“You realize I might not let you leave now,” Tony whispered as the rest of the bandage came off. The slashes across Dean’s chest weren’t deep enough to kill him, but they would be extremely painful for a long while. Will probably scar on top of it. They should really go to the hospital.

“That’s okay. I kinda don’t wanna leave,” Dean smiled a little. “Feel free to drug me all you want. It’s not like I have anything better to do at this point.” Tony smiled a little as he stood up remembering the last time he tricked Dean and drugged him into staying for a while. Dean wasn’t happy about it, but it didn’t really matter. He didn’t need to report to anyone, and he came back sooner that time. It was one of the last times Tony seen him before the explosion. Before everything had come crashing down on both of them.

“I’m going to get the first aid kit. You don’t move,” Tony ordered getting up and going for the bathroom. He grabbed the first aid kit and looked at himself in the mirror and wondered how he ended up in this situation. Dean had always been there for him when things got bad back in Baltimore and then again when he started NCIS and was screwing up. He remembered late nights of laying with the man wishing like hell Dean would stay, that he wouldn’t be leaving the next day. He wanted Dean to quit then. He promised to clear him of everything and help him start a new life, but Dean couldn’t stop. He wouldn’t let someone innocent get hurt for anything if he could stop it. It was one of the things that made Tony fall for him so hard.

“Ya know, lots has happened at NCIS as well,” Tony smiled before pouring some alcohol on a wipe and cleaning up the red blood that was slowly leaking out of the wounds. “I want Ducky to look at these in a couple days at least. Make sure they are healing alright.”

“I can do that, Tony,” Dean whispered as Tony slowly traced some of the new scars. Tony noticed that some of the old ones he used to trace all the time were completely gone. It was almost like this Dean looked like his, but older. Much older.

“You get a new body and end up scarring it up too,” Tony shook his head as he gently ran his hand up the side across a couple slashes. “You are still beautiful though.” Dean took a deep breath as he closed his eyes.

“I missed you,” Dean whispered when Tony finished cleaning the wounds. Tony smiled slightly before throwing away the paper towels. “I wished that it would end at one point. Was actually going to leave you the Impala since the last time Sammy tried to douche it up. Didn’t get far enough before the angel who pulled me from hell beat the hell outta me before locking me in a basement.”

               “You jumping stories not in order is confusing, although I may want meet the angel who brought you back to the land of the living,” Tony smiled gently kissing the hand that Dean had resting against his face. Dean gave a small smile before nearly leaning off his chair. Tony caught him before he hit the ground. “Hey, when is the last time you slept?”

“Probably been a couple days,” Dean mumbled. “I just drove after I patched myself up. Was about twelve hours out before I got here.”

“Damn it, Dean,” Tony grumbled as Dean closed his eyes. “Why do you insist on pushing yourself to a breaking point?”

“Cause I wouldn’t be me without doing that,” Dean muttered before trying to sit back up. “I think it’s starting to catch up with me.” Tony smiled a little.

“Next time I’ll just drug you then so you can’t push yourself,” Tony threatened as he started rewrapping the slashes with fresh bandages. When he finished and stood up, Dean was half asleep leaning against the table where he left a half eaten burger. “You aren’t leaving me in the dark ever again, Winchester. I will hunt you down next time you leave.” Dean let out a small laugh as Tony helped him up and lead him towards the bed.

“I can deal with that,” Dean mumbled as Tony set him back down on the bed. “You going to stay with me then?”

“Gonna make sure you don’t get cold feet in the middle of the night and run off,” Tony quipped back as Dean laid down. The hunter nodded a little before patting the bed besides him. “I’ll be back, just let me get ready for bed first.”

“Okay,” Dean whispered before seemingly falling asleep. Tony smiled glad that they seemed to get back into their old routine. He only hopes that this time Dean plans on staying a lot longer than a few days. Tony got back into the room with just his boxers to see the tops of the bandages peeking out from under the sheet that was covering Dean.

“I swear, you better be okay after all the crap you put me though, Winchester,” Tony whispered. “Cause I never stopped loving you, you stupid bastard.”

* * *

 

**Four Years Ago**

“Tony, digging up a grave isn’t going to be fun,” Dean whispered as Tony slowly ran his hand up Dean’s back under his shirt. “And you wanting to go with me could be dangerous.”

“I’m a federal agent, Honey, I think it’ll be just fine,” Tony whispered as he rubbed his nose across Dean’s neck. “Besides, you told me everything right? You said that you wouldn’t lie to me ever, and that if anything really bad happens, I get to be the one to arrest you.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright, threatening to arrest me gets you enough points to come, just be careful, and use the shotgun, not your service weapon,” Dean smiled as Tony pushed him against the wall of the small apartment. “And I’ll never lie to you. I have no reason to.”

“Good,” Tony smiled as he kissed up Dean’s face and up towards his ear. “Because that means I can use my cuffs for much more fun times. Like tying you to the bed till its dark and we actually need to leave.”

“So going to love this,” Dean laughed as Tony dragged him towards the bed.

 

* * *

Tony smiled as he pulled the body laying next to him closer to him. He gently patted down the body till he got to the bandages before waking up a little more when he remembered what had happened. He had forgotten what it was like to wake up next to Dean. How nice it was to wake up next to someone who didn’t leave in the middle of the night and someone he knew he could keep. Someone who knew almost everything about him and didn’t care about some of the crap he pulled. Someone who knew the truth, even if Tony hadn’t told him everything yet. However Dean had left in the middle of the night the last night they were together, Tony was able to get a hold of him, but apparently he didn’t want his brother to know that they were still in contact at the time. It wasn’t much later that he got the news about the explosion.

“At least you’re still alive, asshole,” Tony whispered kissing the back of Dean’s neck.

 “Sometimes I wonder,” Dean whispered in answer. “But the asshole part is probably true. What do you plan on doing with me? I figured you would either sleep with me or arrest me. Or both.”

“Well, I haven’t decided yet on what to do with you. There’s a lot that has happened in the past couple years. Some things have changed. We’ve both changed,” Tony said as he flipped Dean on his back and hovered over him. “I would like to start off where we left off before you apparently died. Although to be fair, you seemed to have walked off in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Dean smiled up at Tony as Tony slowly started kissing his chest right above the bandages. “I got a call, and…it was important.”

“Really? And where did you run off to?” Tony asked leaning down against Dean without pressing down on the slashes. “Cause it took me calling for three weeks before you finally answered.”

“Demons started hunting me and my brother. I didn’t want you in the line of fire,” Dean said watching as Tony checked the bandages. “Sam called me when his demon friend said that Lilith was after us. I took off as fast as I could. She couldn’t know about you. I was worried.”

“Could’ve have left a note. I probably wouldn’t have gone as crazy,” Tony whispered testing some of the old touches that would drive Dean crazy. Dean moaned lightly and raised up off the bed. “At least that hasn’t changed.”

“No, I don’t think those would,” Dean groaned as Tony pushed more buttons. Dean was moaning as Tony kissed up his chest and up to his face. “Geez, I wish I never left. Holy crap.”

“I’m going to enjoy this,” Tony smiled as he reached down and patted Dean though his boxers. “So, so much.” Dean moaned again as Tony bit at his neck. “You are still just as responsive, and I absolutely love it.”

“Yeah, that’s…damnit this is…ahhh, shit, ow,” Dean shot as he tried to get out from under Tony. Tony backed up and just sat on Dean’s legs as Dean sat up. Tony looked at him worriedly. “I’m alright, but damnit…”

“I was trying to avoid your injury,” Tony whispered as Dean breathed out a little more.

“Dude, it’s been a little over a year since I came back from hell. I still have troubles figuring out what’s real and what’s not, Tony. The wounds just kinda shocked me. They’re different from hell,” Dean explained watching Tony closely. “Shouldn’t you be going to work?”

“Called Gibbs last night, asked for today off. So as long as there’s nothing too big going on, I can stay here with you for a while,” Tony smiled as Dean slowly laid down again. “So, we get cleaned up, make some breakfast, and then we should really sit down and talk about what’s going to happen.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Dean whispered gently tracing Tony’s face with a few fingers that were no longer misshapen. Suddenly Tony’s phone rang. “And that’s just your luck ain’t it?”

“You’re not allowed to move,” Tony hissed as he picked up his phone. “This is DiNozzo.”

_“You’re late.”_

“Director, I told Gibbs that I wasn’t coming in today…the thing was today.”

_“Yes it was. The whole mission could have been compromised because you decided to take a day off.”_

“Something important came up,” Tony sighed as Dean stared at him in confusion.

 _“More important than taking down an arms dealer?”_ Tony sighed as he traced a pattern on Dean’s chest to help keep him from snapping himself.

“To me, yes. Sorry, Director, but a good friend who I thought was dead is alive. He needed some help.”

_“Should I be worried?”_

“No, I’ll be fine.”

 _“I’m expecting you to be here in two hours.”_ She hung up and Tony hung his head.

“I don’t really want to leave you here by yourself,” Tony whispered frustrated. He needed to know what happened to Dean. He wanted to pick up where he left off. “I was supposed to help with an arms dealer.”

“You never tell me anything about your work,” Dean whispered looking at Tony confused.

“I’m working undercover and getting closer,” Tony muttered. “I kinda started dating the guy’s daughter.” Dean looked crushed but Tony kissed him. “It’s for work, and I may have gotten in deep, but I promise I’ll come back to you. Just please wait for me. As soon as the mission is over, I’ll be free. I will come back to you.”

“You’re sleeping with some guy’s daughter and you want to arrest this guy?” Dean asked looking like he was trying to keep from breaking down himself or beating the shit out of Tony. Tony smiled sadly at him. “Should I be concerned that sleeping with you might get me arrested?”

“It shouldn’t be lasting that much longer, and no, I’m not going to arrest you,” Tony promised. “I need to go. I…I’m going to make a call real fast.” Dean nodded as Tony got up and started scrolling though his phone. Dean sat up as well wondering if coming here was a good idea after all. Tony was the one he was still dating when he ended up in hell. Now that everything was over, he felt like he could get back and have more of that. Maybe even be able to stay longer.

Tony looked behind to see the conflicted look that was on Dean’s face. He knew that Dean was in a tight spot if his brother was gone. He looked down and wondered how hard it would be to get Ducky to look after Dean while he tried to get the Director off his scent. She couldn’t know that he was having relations with a supposedly dead serial killer especially if it will interfere with his mission. That would not go well especially after the whole framing him thing for murder, and the fact that he was also working undercover. Tony called Ducky.

_“This is Dr. Mallard.”_

“Hey, Ducky. I need a favor.”

_“Well, I’ve got three bodies down in autopsy and Gibbs said you were taking the day off. He didn’t tell me anything after that, but I got the…”_

“The director called. Kinda missed something I wasn’t supposed to. But I had a good reason. It’s Dean. He’s hurt and I would like if you could take a look while I deal with whatever it is the director wants me for. She called me in.”

_“He’s alive? How could that be. There is no way either he or his brother could’ve survived that blast. No one else did.”_

“The agent let them go after he got an up close and personal experience with their crazy. But Dean isn’t dealing well. Sam is dead, and not in a good place and its really tearing Dean up. He was tortured by someone, and the injuries need more care. I wanted to take him to a hospital, but you know how he is.”

_“Yes, well, can you get him here? We’ve got a multi Victim crime. Three marines were killed. I can help him, but I can’t leave just yet. We need all the help we can get.”_

“In other words, I should have come in,” Tony sighed. He didn’t want to take Dean anywhere just yet until he knew for certain that he wasn’t going to be in danger, but he also knew that he needed to go in and see the director at the very least. “If the director hadn’t have called I think it would have been fine, Gibbs understood.”

_“She doesn’t know about…”_

“No, and she can’t. I could lose my job. Gibbs knows only because he was there and knows what happened. He’ll let Dean off the hook, but I doubt that the director would be as understanding without proof that something happened,” Tony explained wishing like hell he could just stay home with Dean.

_“You shouldn’t have to. The director knows that you asked for today off, and she should respect it.”_

“She gave me two hours.”

 _“I’ll see you soon then. Would you like me to tell Gibbs?”_ Tony heard a voice in the back asking something and he knew it was Gibbs when Ducky answered. _“I believe Gibbs is now pissed at the director for trying to call you in. Take your time. Take care of Dean first before coming in. He needs you first.”_

“Thanks, Ducky. For everything.”

_“Of course, Anthony. Be careful. And tell Dean to ensure that he keeps those bandages clean. We wouldn’t want what happened last time to happen again.”_

“Yeah, I think I’ve gotten it cleaned, but he spent twelve hours getting here, so who knows if he kept it clean.” Ducky let out a sigh and told him he would see what he could do, and they said their goodbyes before Tony turned back to Dean who was now sitting up on the bed with his feet on the floor ready to stand up.

“So, you have to go in?” Dean asked looking at Tony sadly.

“Not until I get a call saying that for now. I do believe that Gibbs is going to take care of it, but like I said. I am working undercover. Which was easier before when I was single and had nothing to come home to. Now that you’re back…” Dean cut him off.

“I can’t play that game. That woman doesn’t deserve it, and you know that,” Dean stated glaring at him. “I know it’s not your idea, but I don’t want caught in the middle. Not in this, and I don’t think I exactly have the right mind set.”

“You always were a good person,” Tony smiled slightly as his second phone rang. He pulled out of his jacket that was hanging up before looking at Dean. “I would give it all up for you. I want to so badly.” Dean stared at him.

“You could lose your job.”

“I had the opportunity to advance before, and honestly, I’m glad I didn’t. Not because of the undercover assignment, but you came back. Against all odds, I think I would bet on you every time. I think you might be the only person who has never let me down,” Tony said as he tried to keep it together. Dean waved his hand for the man to answer the damn phone. “You always manage to come back to me.”

“Hello?”

_“Hey, how are you this morning?”_

“I’m good. Had a bit of a surprise last night, but it’s all good.”

_“I was wondering if you wanted to meet for breakfast?”_

“I actually can’t today. Something to do with my surprise last night. I would love to, but there are a few things I need to do right now, and I don’t have time. Maybe this weekend?”

_“Alright. Are you okay?”_

“Yeah, I’m fine, just a few things popped up, and I need to take of care of them. It should be done by the weekend though. I’ll talk to you later?”

_“Yeah sure.”_

“Good…okay, seriously?” Tony muttered when he realized she just hung up on him. Now everything was getting fucked up. He wanted to be able to do both, but now he just might lose both. Dean was watching him from the bed with a frown.

“I think I’m going to find a motel or something. I can’t stay here.”

“NO,” Tony pleaded not wanting to lose this chance again. “Please, just stay here. I promise, nothing will happen. Just please don’t go. You said you didn’t want to leave.”

“I don’t, but I can’t be with you if you’re with someone else. It’s bad enough you’re using her to get to her father, but seriously? You want to add cheating on her to that list?” Dean asked looking at him questioningly. “Look, I’ll stay only because the only other place I’ve got is just too far from here for me right now. But I’m not…I can’t sleep with you cause I know you’ll go to her. Even if it’s not really you and you’re undercover.”

“Please stay. We won’t do anything, but I can’t lose you again. Not if I have this chance to keep you,” Tony whispered wishing he had never slept with her to begin with. Wishing like hell he could change everything. That he could keep Dean right here and not have to worry about him.

“Tony, I came here to stay, but you know I can’t do this if you’re with someone else,” Dean said as he stood up. “When you and her are over, maybe. But I’m not going to promise to wait, Tony.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” Tony whispered when his phone chimed with a text on it. He opened it to a message from the director telling him that he better be there shortly. He sighed knowing that they needed to go. He wanted to talk to Dean first, but that got shot out the window. “We need to get ready to leave. Ducky said you can stay in the morgue for now so he can look at you.”

“Alright, my clothes are in my car,” Dean informed as he started to head out. Tony stopped him short.

“Hey, why don’t you wear some of mine so the other agents don’t think you’re some kind of crazy I’ve pulled off the streets,” Tony whispered heading to his closet. “It might be better than the cheap suit you wear.”

“Who said I still had the cheap suit?” Dean smiled before letting Tony hand him a nice clean shirt and jacket.

“If you have a nice suit and I don’t get to see you in it, I’ll be awfully upset,” Tony grinned as he touched Dean’s side right next to the bandages. Dean shifted away from me slightly.

“Finish your mission soon, DiNozzo, and I’ll let you fuck into the mattress,” Dean flirted before drifting into the bathroom and shutting the door. Of course Tony thought Dean was a bastard. He wanted him to be his though. And every thought about telling the director that he didn’t want to do this assignment anymore came to the forefront. He really would give it up for Dean.

“Give me a couple weeks, Dean. I promise it’ll either be over, or I’m out,” Tony whispered to himself. Two weeks was his deadline. He wasn’t going to give up that easily on the damn hunter. There may not be another chance. 

* * *

 

Tony and Dean managed to get to autopsy without getting seen by anyone after going through the back. Ducky was the only one there for now. He smiled when he seen the two of them.

“Dean, it’s so good to see you. It’s been a while,” he greeted reaching forward and giving Dean a hug. “I wanted to be the one to do the autopsy, but the FBI kept it pretty hush, hush. I do believe that they couldn’t find a body. It makes sense now though.”

“Yeah, Hendrickson found out and we were up against an army of demons, and we clearly didn’t get though that without casualties,” Dean said hugging him back. He pulled his stitches a little, but it wasn’t bad. “If I do die, I would be honored for you to do the autopsy. Mainly because there are things craved into my ribs.”

“What on God’s green earth were you thinking craving things into your ribs, dear boy?” Ducky asked alarmed. Dean smiled slightly with chuckle.

“It wasn’t me. It was an angel. You could take a look? See if he left them there. They may have been removed, but I doubt it. It’s supposed to keep me safe from angels and demons,” Dean explained as he started to take off his shirt so Ducky could take a look at his injuries.

“Why would you need protecting from angels?” Ducky asked as he helped Dean start unwrapping the bandages.

“They’re dicks to begin with, but mostly because they wanted the end of the world,” Dean whispered. Ducky hummed in response not sure what to say to that. He had many stories, but he sometimes wondered if Dean’s rivaled his. And the man was barely half his age.

“Well, I would like to get an x-ray and see. Could be interesting?” Ducky smiled. He always liked it when Dean came by because he always had something new for the doctor to look at. Last time it was the head of a vampire. He almost got caught, but Ducky had found it absolutely fascinating.

“Yeah, that would be okay,” Dean agreed as Ducky cleared the bandages away. It was then that Gibbs entered.

“Tony, I thought you were going to see the director?” Gibbs asked. Tony turned pink before heading towards the elevator. Gibbs turned to Dean.

“How are you holding up?” Gibbs asked as Ducky slowly started to clean away the blood that had leaked out of the wounds.

“I’m okay. Still having some troubles getting used to…this,” Dean whispered motioning around him. “I’ve stopped hunting. Sam wanted me to get out and have an apple pie life.” Gibbs nodded as he studied the slashes going across the hunter in front of him.

“You look older,” Gibbs stated as he looked back at Ducky. Dean nodded as Ducky stated pulling out more wraps.

“Years will do that to you,” Dean said as he shifted so Ducky could start wrapping him up again. “Hunting will do that to you too.”

“I do believe that you’ve at least learned how to care for your wounds much better than the last time you asked me to patch you up,” Ducky started as he started to work the bandages around Dean again. “Although this does remind me of someone back in England. He was tortured so severely that I wasn’t sure exactly how he had survived.”

“I could do it,” Dean whispered looking down. “Demons could do too. Hell teaches you a lot about torture.”

“You were in hell?” Ducky stopped with wide eyes. Dean looked away from them before answering.

“I really don’t want to talk this,” Dean said looking up at them. “I can’t talk about this. It hurts enough.”Gibbs watched carefully waiting for something. The FBI didn’t need to know that NCIS was indebted to the Winchesters. Often times Abby helped hide the Winchesters trail. Gibbs knew that they weren’t in that explosion and he respected that Dean wanted Tony to not know. However, not much later Dean seemed to just disappear and then reappear four months later. Gibbs figured that was the time frame of Dean being in Hell.

“You seem to be holding Tony at arm’s length,” Gibbs stated as Ducky quickly finished wrapping the bandages and going to clean up. “Why?”

“He’s seeing someone,” Dean answered looking at Gibbs. “You would know that…but maybe you don’t know everything.”

“I guessed he was,” Gibbs said walking around Dean. He wondered how much he could get out of Dean about what the director is using Tony for. He knew something shady was going on. “He told more than he should’ve.”

“Yeah, I think he was hoping I would stay,” Dean added as he tracked Gibb’s movement. “How much do you know?”

“He’s been the director’s buddy since I tried to retire,” Gibbs informed him as he stopped and leaned against the other table from where Dean was sitting. “I’m guessing he’s gotten himself into some trouble.”

“He’s working undercover by dating some guy’s daughter to try to get to him.” Dean said as Gibbs nodded. “I think he really likes her, but with me entering the picture.”

“He’s got an out,” Gibbs nodded tilting his head to the side. “I want you to stay. I need him out danger, and you’re probably the best way to get him out of that line of fire. The director is after an arms dealer, and I want to know why. She has her secrets. And now…”

“You have yours,” Dean sighed knowing that Gibbs was using him. “What do you want me to do?” Gibbs smiled.

“I want you to stay close to Tony. I want to know who he’s been with,” Gibbs leaned forward again. “You’re going to get me everything you can about whatever it is that the director needs. Once you at least give me a name I’m going to need you to follow her. She might be able to tell my team what to do, but not you.” Dean smiled slightly before jumping down off the table.

“You always gonna use me for your creepy stalking when you’re not sure about something. You said you think that Tony’s in trouble. What kind of trouble?” Dean asked looking concerned. “I just want this to stop. I need a break.”

“I don’t think being here is going to help with that. There are few things that need cleared up first,” Gibbs said standing straight up. “You and Tony go good together and I trust you to take care of him more than some girl I don’t know the name of. You get yourself into enough trouble without his help, but you know you can trust him if anything goes wrong. Same here. I trust you to care for my agent when he gets himself into trouble.” Dean nodded as he put his shirt back on over his bandages.

“You also know I’m the only one who Tony can’t spot following him,” Dean joked as Gibbs handed him his jacket. Gibbs smiled and nodded too.

“You staying with Tony?” Gibbs asked when Dean put his jacket on.

“Yeah, so far he’s been a complete gentlemen.”

“I don’t believe you,” Gibbs laughed as walked out of autopsy. Ducky shook his head.

“Has Tony really been a gentleman?” Ducky questioned. Dean threw his head back and laughed.

* * *

 

 Gibbs walked up and barged into the director’s office where Tony was looking at ground with the director glaring at him. Shepherd glared at him.

“I’m in the middle of something in case you can’t see that,” Shepherd nearly growled. Gibbs nodded before walking around the room.

“And yet you called him in on a day he asked off for personal reasons,” Gibbs stated raising his hands. “It’s not his fault. Something came up.”

“And you would know. There was something important…”

“I…”

“You have duties…”

“Director, with all due respect, I have a personal life outside of this,” Tony interrupted slightly. upset. He was not going to lose Dean again. “Someone showed up that I haven’t seen in a while that I thought was dead. We were really close.”

“How close?” Shepherd asked standing straight knowing she wasn’t going to like this answer.

“Close enough. I want out,” Tony said looking at her. “I would like to help get him too, but this is more important to me.” Gibbs watched him closely. He knew how close they were. Sometimes came across them while working together in compromising positions. Always earned them both a head slap for their stupidity. Although now, Gibbs would give anything to have Dean act like a mischievous asshole again.

“You’re willing risk months of undercover work now,” Shepherd asked. They were so close and now Tony decides to back out. When they have their in. Tony looked at her.

“I’ve learned a lot over the past few months,” Tony informed. “Not enough to help, but…”

“Jenny, you’ve been keeping secrets,” Gibbs stated standing up. “You sent Tony to date The Frog’s daughter to get close. You knew something like this was coming up or something much worse. This wasn’t going to end well, and you sent him in anyway.”

“He knew the risks,” Shepherd fired back as Tony stood up.

“I’m going to hospital tonight, it’s over,” Tony said walking out of the room. Gibbs looked at the director.

“I do believe that he deserves to have his own life now,” Gibbs stated as he too started for the door. “Cause no matter what happens, he is still on my team.”

“Who is it?” the director asked as Gibbs stopped at the door.

“An old friend,” he answered before heading out.

* * *

 

“You always seem to have some of the best stories,” Ducky smiled as Dean laughed. “I’m still if I believe you or not. That seems like it would be something that is impossible.”

“Ducky, I live my life in the impossible, but seriously. This family was insane. They hunted humans for sport. They caught Sam and I was with this…” Dean cut off when Jimmy came in.

“Dr. Mallard, I have the test results for…” Jimmy stopped when he noticed that Ducky wasn’t alone. “Ummm, am I interrupting something?”

“Just two friends talking and catching up,” Ducky stated as he walked over to his assistant. “Now what is it that you have?”

“They were all clean, and Abby said that none of the hairs tested positive for drugs either,” Jimmy informed looking at Dean questioningly. “Ummm, Albert had a mild sedative in his systems though, so he could’ve been…”

“Is something wrong, Mr. Palmer?” Ducky asked taking the reports from Jimmy. Dean smiled and shook his head.

“I don’t…”

“I gonna wait for Tony or someone else to get me,” Dean informed. “I don’t think you really need to worry about me standing here staring at you, Mr. Palmer. I don’t bite unless it’s been completely discussed first.”

“Ummm, I…” Jimmy turned red slightly before looking down and nearly running out of the room. Dean laughed as Ducky shook his head

“Sometimes I wonder about that boy,” Ducky said before heading towards the closest body. “Since Mr. Palmer has run off, would you like to help?”

“Won’t be my first time,” Dean smiled as he grabbed a few gloves and cleaned up a little before grabbing an extra medical jacket. “Does he often just run off?”

“Not often, you make him uncomfortable,” Ducky laughed as he started cutting into the body. “Of course, you are more built as an agent, so he probably isn’t going to do anything but believe that you are from another agency.”

“Good, that could get awkward if someone comes down here who isn’t Gibbs or Tony,” Dean said as he watched Dr. Mallard slowly pull the skin away from the body after the y incision. “So what happened here?”

“These three marines were found shot in a back alley. None of them have signs of struggle or defensive wounds. They have no signs of a fight at all and its odd. These guys are highly trained for combat,” Ducky informed while he slowly pinned the skin back.

“So, you need to figure out why they didn’t fight back? I could understand one not being caught by surprise,” Dean guessed watching closely. “You said that they were killed at the same time by the same weapon or was there a gap in it? Maybe they went in the alley one at a time.”

“That…that could be it,” Ducky whispered looking at Dean. “You should be an investigator.”

“I did investigate creepy things while running away from the law,” Dean grinned as he grabbed the rib crackers. “Also have illegally done autopsies and a lot of other questionable things.”

“I didn’t hear any of that,” Ducky smiled as they finished fully opening up the victim.

“Boss, can Dean stay with you for a couple days?” Tony asked as they headed down the stairs. “He’s kinda pissed at me for not being upfront about Jeanne.”

“Well, maybe you should have told him that before attempting to sleep him first,” Gibbs informed watching his agent closely.

“Yeah, was a little more concerned about him getting sick than anything,” Tony mused as they rounded the corner into a spot where no one would see them. “And I was just kinda getting over the fact that he was alive after almost two years.”

“He never contacted you in all that time?” Gibbs asked suspicious.

“No. He said he was trying to protect me, but I think he was afraid of how pissed I would be if he told me the truth,” Tony sighed. “I mean, he sold his soul. I think he was feeling guilty about pulling Sam from Stanford. He blames himself for everything that goes wrong with his family.”

“And now?” Gibbs asked slipping his coffee.

“He’s doesn’t have much left,” Tony sighed. “I want him to stay cause I’m not entirely sure he’s…”

“He’s unstable to the point of you being afraid he’ll commit suicide?” Gibbs stated. “I seen him too. He’ll be fine as long as he has the support he needs.”

“I can’t give it to him yet. He won’t do that to…” Tony stopped as he closed his eyes.

“The next time you decide to run an undercover mission for the director, you better be prepared for blowback,” Gibbs warned before walking away. Tony bowed his head angry at himself for getting himself into this situation. He would have been fine until Dean showed back up, but he knew only one of the two would he actually be able to stay with. At least Dean knew the truth about him unlike Jeanne.

 

* * *

 

 

Jimmy walked into Abby’s lab with confusion written on his face. Abby looked at him wide eyed.

“Why are you here? Not that I don’t mind…I.” Abby stopped suddenly watching him carefully. “Did something happen?”

“Someone else is down in autopsy and Ducky is letting him help,” Jimmy stated looking at her. “I have no idea who it is.”

“Well how odd,” Abby said as she went over to the screen computer to see who was in autopsy. When she turned it on and seen who it was her mouth opened. “Oh my God, Dean?!” Both Dean and Ducky turned around to look at the computer.

“Hey, Abby,” Dean smiled as he pulled away from where Ducky had been telling him about how he had dealt with a grave that had been dug up twice to keep piling bodies on.

“You were dead? Oh my God, I’m coming down!” Abby nearly screamed in excited before bolting out of her lab and heading towards autopsy. Dean laughed on the screen while Jimmy just stared.

“I don’t…”

“She’s excitable,” Dean smiled as he turned back around towards Ducky who was watching carefully.

Abby ran into autopsy where Dean had just cleaned himself up knowing that Abby was going to nearly kill him by hug, She came in and hugged him tightly.

“I thought you were dead. Tony was so broken up about it and then Kate died, and we missed you so much,” Abby cried squeezing tightly. “Oh my god.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry I didn’t come back sooner,” Dean whispered hugging her back. “Can you loosen up a little. I am hurt.”

“What?” Abby pulled back and patted him down. “Where?”

“He was tortured,” Ducky answered as he pulled off his gloves. Dean looked down before looking back up at Abby.

“I’m alive, and I’m okay right now,” Dean comforted reaching out to her. “It’s fine.”

“But you…” Abby hugged him again with tears in her eyes. Dean hugged her tighter.

“I’m alright,” Dean promised.

“Please don’t leave again,” Abby whispered as Dean swayed back and forth. “Please.”

“I don’t plan to. Don’t have anywhere else to go right now,” Dean reaffirmed gently rubbing her back. “You don’t have to worry.”

“Yes I do, cause as soon as you can you’ll leave again,” Abby muttered refusing to let him go even though Dean had stopped and was standing there waiting for her to let him go.

“Abby, I’m not leaving again,” Dean tried to pull away. “Tony already threatened to hunt me down if I disappeared.” Abby smiled.

“I’ll definitely be helping if you do then,” Abby pulled away standing in front of Dean and really taking a good look at him. “Something’s different.”

“A lot has happened,” Dean told her before Gibbs and Tony walked into autopsy. Tony gave Dean a small smile.

“Dean, where are you staying?” Gibbs asked knowing Tony didn’t really know where Dean was going to stay and he knew Tony was hoping to keep Dean close.

“He can stay with me,” Abby interjected. “If Tony isn’t letting him stay.” Abby sent Tony a glare.

“Tony has a girlfriend,” Dean told her. “I’m not going to do that to her.” Abby narrowed her eyes at Tony.

“You have a girlfriend and didn’t bother to tell me everything? How can I know she isn’t going to kill you?” Abby menaced slowly stalking over to Tony.

“Excuse me,” Ducky cut in. “But if you’re going to have a fight, can you respect the dead and give them some peace.” Everyone nodded, but Abby punched Tony before grabbing Dean’s arm and walking off with him.

“Abby just stole Dean,” Tony pointed out when they entered the elevator. Gibbs shook his head.

“You better clean up your mess fast. Ducky, what are we looking at?” Gibbs asked walking over to the body that Ducky was finishing up.

“Well, they all died about the same time, without any defensive wounds. Which was confusing me until Dean suggested that they were taken in one by one almost on top of each other,” Ducky informed pointing out the lack of bruises. “I think Dean may be on to something. Someone calls for help, and then shoots whoever it is who came to help. But there would evidence of some kind if one heard the gunshot.”

“Not if they used a silencer,” Gibbs stated. “Anything else, Duck?”

“Not at the moment. I’ve only done two, and Dean seemed pretty sure that it wasn’t supernatural,” Ducky smiled as Gibbs nodded.

“That’s good, cause I really don’t want to mess with that stuff again,” Gibbs said as he headed. “Thanks, Ducky.”

“Of course, now Major, what made you so interested in going into an ally where your buddies also died,” Ducky asked the corpse. It never responded, but Major Johnson stood in the distance watching his body saying that he had no idea.

 

* * *

 

Abby watched as Dean was playing on her computer. She remembered when he would have just followed her wherever and asked all the questions he could think of about what she was doing. Now he just sat at her desk quietly on the computer probably trying to figure out where to go from here. If he planned to stay in DC, he would need a new identity since he is supposed to be dead and was on the FBI’s most wanted. Not anywhere near the top, but was someone who they did really want.

“Hey, Abs, I’ve got a sample of blood from the crime scene that may not be the…” McGee stopped when he seen a stranger sitting in Abby’s chair. Abby turned to him wide eyed.

“Hey, McGee. Uh, yeah I’ll take that,” she started grabbing the bag from him while he just stared. “Is there something wrong, McGee?”

“Who is that? They look familiar,” McGee said as he started towards Dean who was now watching him carefully out of the corner of his eye. Abby stopped him.

“An old friend of Tony’s. I promised to watch him till Tony was able to leave again,” Abby informed keeping McGee from going in.

“What is he doing here?” McGee inquired now looking Abby who was looking a touch nervous. He knew her well enough to know that he was not getting the full picture. “Is he threatening you?”

“No, he’s a good friend and I haven’t seen him in a few years,” Abby growled punching McGee in the arm. “He wouldn’t hurt anyone unless there was a reason. Besides, he’s injured, I could take him down if I wanted to,” Abby gloated twirling over to her lab’s computer system. “So, the bullet wounds on the victims are almost completely identical… McGee?” She turned to see McGee walking up to Dean.

“What are you doing?” he accused seemingly pissed at Dean for no real reason.

“Nothing really, waiting,” Dean said back warningly. He really hated dealing with insecure people who thought that they were the smartest people in the room. They always had to make a big deal out of nothing. McGee seemed to be one of those people, just with a gun.

“And why aren’t you with an agent?” McGee asked leaning on the desk trying to imitate Dean who just looked at him amused.

“Abby kidnapped me,” Dean answered with a small smirk. “Kinda didn’t have a choice.”

“Why would she do that?” McGee narrowed his eyes and watched Dean carefully. He seemed harmless, but there was an underlying edge that he didn’t like.

“Because, Elf lord,” Abby started. “He’s my friend who I haven’t seen in a while and Tony pissed me off. Now do you want to hear about the case or keep harassing Dean?”

“Elf lord?” Dean laughed as McGee stood straight up.

“Abby!” McGee growled. Abby only laughed before turning her music up and escorting McGee out of her office. Dean only shook his head as he started looking around the DC area for a job or place to stay that wasn’t with one of his friends. He wanted to stay with Tony, but he needn’t to wait for that. Too much time had passed. He knew they would need to start near the beginning before they go anywhere close to where they were before.

And for once, Dean was excited about it. Tony was the one that he trusted the most to not only have his back, but also to not hurt him. No matter how much he trusted his brother, Tony never really hid anything from him and had warned him if the law got a little too close.

“Okay, so you need a new identity. I can only go so far, but I think I can make one good enough so that way you won’t get caught easily. The FBI might be a bit tricky, so try to stay under the radar as much as you can,” Abby said as she pulled up AFIS on her computer. “My only problem might be getting your correct prints in the system without raising too much problem. What name would you like?”

“Dean Campbell,” Dean answered as Abby started typing away on her computer his information. “Make me from somewhere other than Lawerance.”

“How about Ohio? You’ve pretty much been everywhere, so shouldn’t be too hard for you to fake being from somewhere else,” Abby typed in Akron. “This should be big enough to hide the fact that you’re not here from there, but small enough that it’ll be believable.”

“I don’t think McGee likes me. Should I be worried?” Dean asked as Abby put in his birthday off by a day and some other random information.

“Only if you piss him off,” Abby stated as they continued going over his new life.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first work I've posted here. I really needed some more NCIS/Supernatural material to read, so I decided to create my own. I'm a little unsure about the tags, but any help with that would be nice. I just think Dean and Tony would make an adorable couple. I just really wanted more. I really hope that you guys like this cause I really haven't written in a while. Hopefully once I get this mastered, I'll finish some of my other work that is posted else where.


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